Graded Cards Not PSA
DaveSpiwak
Posts: 40 ✭✭
There are a ton of cards for sale on eBay and other places that are graded by firms other than PSA. Most notably is Beckett, but there are lots of other more obscure ones as well. I can’t help but wonder what the people are thinking who are paying to have their cards graded by firms other than PSA. A Beckett 9.5 appears to generally get about 70 cents on the dollar versus a PSA 10.
These collectors/dealers have to realize they are going to have a discount card if it’s non-PSA. Are all these people just too impatient to endure the wait time of PSA? Do they think they’re going to get the elusive Beckett 10 pristine or something? Why would anyone in their right mind submit a potentially valuable card to a non-PSA grading firm?
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Comments
those cards have been out there for a while. until recently, beckett was the go to for modern. psa was vintage and sgc for pre-war.
beckett has all but run itself into the ground. the modern tide has shifted.
however, if anything, psa best be on the lookout from one of these newer kids on the block vs bgs or sgc.
PSA set registry and rewards has a lot to do with the premium IMO. BGS has a very strong customer base. Better looking cases and sub grades are some reasons I hear. And for awhile BGS was the only place to get a dual auto/card grade. And almost everyone who collected cards pre eBay completed price analysis, has heard of Beckett. PSA 10s compared to BGS 9.5, PSA is known to be a higher grading standard. But IMO if I were buying either 9s to me mint is mint.
PSA isn’t always best. I had a recent experience with an oddball vintage issue that PSA had zero idea what to do with. I realized after the fact that their grades for this item were all over the place; zero consistency whatsoever. So I cracked out and sent to SGC and was thrilled with the (fair) result.
I also prefer the look and quality of the SGC slab. I can’t stand how cards slide around in PSA slabs. It looks sloppy and can damage cards. SGC customizes the matting to fit the card, making for a more secure fit. Not to mention the issue I just posted about in another discussion: some sort of bubbling effect with the new sleeves PSA is using for undersized items. It looks like garbage, which affects market value.
Also, if you’re flipping, the wait time means lost money. In some cases it might be worth taking 70 cents to the dollar if you’re able to flip two, even three times in the time it takes to get a card back from Newport Beach.
So, yeah, ceteris paribus I’d probably always go with a PSA 7 over an SGC 7 or BVG 7. And I continue to send higher-dollar items there, when it’s worth it to pay a premium for quick turn around. But what about a PSA 4 or 5 versus an SGC 7? Then it’s a no-brainer the other way.
It’s just not as simple as PSA > everything else no matter what.
Definitely personal preference goes into it. I had BVG grade a ton of stuff early on. But I just personally don't like their slabs - too big and bulky. Add in the set registry, which helped give my collecting a little direction, plus the premium PSA garners, and I'm happy(ish) with them overall.
Selling off all my Beckett. I have a few SGC and others with cards I know wouldn't cross over. So better to just leave those as is.
I really like those new colorful HGA slabs.
Terry Bradshaw was AMAZING!!
Ignore list -Basebal21
I think CSG is gonna be the only newcomer that holds some comparative weight when it comes to value, consistency and background. they have an impressive portfolio of collectibles that they grade and have become an industry standard in those fields. they may not take the number one spot from PSA, but I think they will hold a decent 3rd position in time.
myslabs.to/smzcards
I have seen and been picking up more than a few mislabeled psa cards - particularly 1998 donruss collections - check the set if you want to know what they are - but short example - 1998 donruss collections jeter (version of 1998 donruss preferred) labeled as donruss preferred - or prized collections (VERY limited subset of 1998 donruss collections) labeled as regular donruss collections....so no one perfect....
but I think that PSA has created a crack for someone doing something different to step right in - very interested in HGA......
I'm considering trying out one of the newer guys for some of my vintage cards that I've always wanted to have graded. Their grading fees seem reasonable, turnaround times look good (at least what is stated on their site), and they have a track record of doing well in other collectibles they grade. These are mid-grade cards that I just want encased and graded by a reputable service (that I think has the potential to become a Top-3 Service).
Always an observation, but comparing "like" grades pricing across companies is always a bad idea.
For example....a PSA 9 will generally always sell for more than a BGS 9, BUT what are the chances that the BGS 9 card would reside in a PSA 9 holder? It would likely (not always) get a PSA 8 and at that point, the card in the BGS 9 holder is more valuable due to grade it gets, but not due to the company.
With the extended times for grading, I have considered using CSG for some of the marginal cards just to test the waters on them. However, for higher quality cards, I would always use PSA for those and BGS for things I just basically want authenticated.
ive cracked out a fair share of BGS 9's and they came back PSA 10's. it was usually due to the BGS centering grade of 8.5 that got the lower BGS grade.
myslabs.to/smzcards
For most of the first decade of this century as I recall BGS held the advantage in max resale value. Back then there were many BGS9.5's that were quite a bit more $ than PSA10's.
BGS over the years has in effect put on clinic of what not to do to stay on top and confound collectors+dealers allowing PSA to clearly regain it's King status regardless of issuing era of the card. However PSA has duplicated some of BGS' mistakes and regardless of reasons is not winning anyone over with their recent attitude and nonchalance in price increases as well as what some may consider dubious conflict of interest practices. Details aside the bottom line is they do have competition and defending ones throne is not easy. Mistakes during times one is riding high may end up causing one to begin riding into sunset at a later date.
Case/Slab note: BGS card cases as well as SGC to me definitely have a nice heft and feel not that that means anything. PSA Pack slabs are almost a thing of beauty. I've had the plastic on GAI pack holders start to crumble...That won't happen to the PSA's !
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
i like bgs 9.5 w 3 9.5s and a 9 on the surface. most of the time it's a single swipe of a fingerprint or something. then it 10s.
I seek out BGS's that are only .5 away from the next grade up. For instance, a BGS 9 with 2 9's and 2 9.5's, or an 8.5 with 2 8.5's and 2 9's. Especially if the lower grade is for centering, as 60/40 would be a 9 for BGS while it can be a 10 with PSA.
I agree.. won't use them but they should be sustainable..
Serious Competition is good for consumers I do hope CSG succeeds the better they do they better all collectors do.
I'm thinking about sending some Comic Book related non-sports to them. Seems like a natural match, given CGC for Comics, and given the latest round of price increases appears to me PSA is no longer interested in grading/slabbing lower value non-sports.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
what about bgs 10's or sgc 100's vs psa 10?
I was thinking of doing the same. Many of my childhood comic cards are starting to see an increase in value. I looked into CGC but I am not sure they grade these cards yet.
Here's an obscure one for you out of my Don Mossi collection. It's just as beautiful as Don himself.
LSPA Grading.
And don't everyone flood my PM as this is not for sale.
Jeff
Miscut Museum
My Mess
early marvel cards are getting crazy. good thing about it, is there's no cracking those boxes either. tried several years ago back when they were $10. every single one regardless of source was bricked beyond belief!
Has anyone used CSG? Just wondering on turn around times...website says not guaranteed.
Psa has become a total joke with their grading unbelievable. I’ve been collecting for over 55 years, been sending in cards since PSA basically started, they have gone off the rails now in grading.. I’ve talked to dealers at the last national that have said the same thing. They’re over correcting the past BS. Ive had enough not another friggen dime. It’s a joke. I will post my cards when I receive them. PSA has become ridiculous.. 9’s are now 7’s no matter how nice … they play it safe and hand out a 7.
Mossi and Sutton were always in the running for the MVE (Most Valuable Ears) award.
PSA is the king…if it’s worth anything, it should be in a PSA holder. 108/111 in my collection are PSA slabbed w/3 SGC slabbed.
You are thinking 5+ years ago. It's the other way around if you haven't seen all the posts in the last year about PSA crack out results.
Please do your homework before you tell lots of people that PSA is the harshest grading company. Did you see the Bo Jackson Desert Shield psa10 I started a thread about in the last week?
PSA must have hired a few pseudo-PSA graders…not up to the standards of PSA years ago. When I questioned a PSA grade….I was told that two PSA graders grade a card individually…and not until both have the same grade is that card slabbed.
Top 3 highest sells for sports cards in history are all in SGC cases, correct?
Someone must have some stock/shares of PSA.. please..
Here’s one of my cards I received back from PSA. I get the fact it’s 60/40 side to side but very close to dead centered top and bottom. Razor sharp corners and comes back a 7 total BULLSHT. At the least an 8, and I’ve got a 9 almost exactly the same. It’s gotten stupid now.
Nice Hull...it looks nicer than a 7 just based on the scan w/o having the card in hand.
Correct. That is why people continue to submit and why PSA graded cards command the highest premiums. Just look at the SGC crossover thread on this page for proof of that.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Here’s one of my c> @grote15 said:
Ok let’s get this cleared up, yes PSA does the most business in grading. But the facts are, they also had a 7 year head start to get established. Also grading the trimmed Honus Wagner rocketed them to the top, setting a precedent. So as far as “kings” go, for me-that’s for Britt’s..
)) American stock holders should know that 
)))
And I will gander to say, if they don’t get their grading fixed.. and enough people/dealers feel that the juice is not worth the squeeze.. that could change at least stock prices. Like I said before, I talked to a few dealers that are not too happy.
Edit: And by the way remember we had almost a 1 1/2 of no grading during Covid and PSA not taking submissions.. so yes things are very busy lately.
I've been hearing that same refrain for many years now but the submission volume is as high as ever. Those are just the facts. And now that CU has purchased SGC, PSA's market dominance will continue unabated for the foreseeable future.
Edit to add: There is no longer a CLCT stock price. CU went private and hasn't been a publicly traded stock for years now.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
The Messier, 86 opc Lemieux, and that 72 opc Orr has four perfect corners with only the opc hair showing. All corners are perfect on these cards. May have to have them reviewed. The 74 opc Orr was first given a 7 lol, then got an 8 after a $100 review. It’s an 8 all day long.
PSA has been very accurate with my hockey card grades recently. Sure I wish some 7’s could have been 8’s but I can also see why they aren’t.
All cards graded within the last year. I had two reviews that both got bumped. Yes it’s frustrating at times but just review the Hull if you feel they made an error. I also feel two of these should be 9’s instead of 8’s and may review also.
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PSA is clearly the market leader and a great choice for most cards. But to suggest anything of value should be in a PSA slab…there are multiple SGC cards worth multiple times more than the best collections I’ve seen posted here.
I’d say PSA buying SGC is an indication there is value in the service they provide, doubt Nat would have popped 9 figures for the company if he thought they were slabbing worthless junk.
Well thanks for the info on the stock, knowledge is power and didn’t follow them. My point wasn’t so much about PSA being on top of the card grading industry. My point is .. since they have come back and have started grading again, hired more graders, the past negative BS. there has been a lot of discussion.. not just from me, but as I said, from dealers and people in the industry. Granted of course this is opinion, but educated experienced opinion, that grading has become a bit over the top being a little too rigid on grades.
As far as crossing over, I sent in at the National 4/5 SGC cards to cross, even with lesser grades submission to PSA and not one meeting the minimum. I also sent in one of the nicest Reggie Jackson rookie PSA 8’s I’ve seen in my registry set and I owned for many years never sold, easily compared to some 9’s and a few others that were not bumped.. ok I get it’s all opinions.. my point is I’m agreeing with some of the opinions of some seasoned educated dealers, and my 55 years of collecting and grading.. plus my registered high end sets, grading has tightened up. I’ve been happy with some results and not so happy..
But I will tell you, I talked to Joe Orlando over the years.. and he’s been honest enough to say
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“Hey sometimes we make mistakes” .. that’s one thing I respected him for was his honesty there. And as far as re-submitting that can get costly.. but it’s always the chase isn’t it
I totally agree!
Just saw a freshly graded SGC 10 67 Seaver RC with stains on the back. There's a reason why there's a thread here with people cracking out PSA graded cards to submit them to SGC instead.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
And what does that have to do with my response to the other poster?
I can find thousands of over-graded cards in every TPG’s slabs. The most famous card in the hobby is trimmed and in a slab. How many bad cello’s with stars on top are in PSA slabs?
Here is my rookie Reggie, imo as far as 69’ rookie Jackson’s go, this is one of the nicest 8’s or for that matter could be a 9. The RC of Jackson are known for tilt front and back or rarely centered. This is as nice on the back as it is on the front with beautiful corners.. I couldn’t even get a half grade bump.. this is “one” of the nicest RC cards of Jackson I’ve seen. Go to VCP and look through 8’s and 9’s and you would see this could easily grab an 8.5 or 9. To me it’s a travesty of justice on this one
So as far as I’m concerned.. don’t know what their parameters are anymore.. but for these last two cards I’ve posted here and submitted at the National, these graders have no clue. NONE! And it’s a shame there isn't equal competition. Ya know I know the difference between sliders that get grades or a gift… but these 2.. 67’ Hull and this Reggie definitely could easily make it into a 8.5 or 9 holder and I don’t think there’d be one complaint. PERIOD! And just so you all know the backs on both are spot on. No trickery here.
It's typically difficult to properly evaluate surface issues which are not apparent via scans or pics/pixels on a computer screen (and often contributing factors to a lower than expected grade), but that is a beautiful Reggie RC regardless.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I'm sure that statement means something to you, and from what I can see the card looks nice, but for all any of us know you may have only seen 3 others.
Really…
I’ve only seen 3? Maybe you didn’t read any of my post on this thread. That’s why I stay off these boards, I will give you a bit of info without sounding arrogant, just hard work. I’m #4 on the registry with the 69’ set, I have 68’ 67’ sets, player sets in all sports. Been buying and selling cards for 55 years.. sold on eBay. Like I said not being arrogant.
There’s and old quote from Lincoln.. it’s sometimes better to be quite and thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt.
Thanks grote, good catcher
I get what you’re saying. But I’ve looked at this card six ways to Sunday, under a loop and magnified light, no paper missing on the corners.. nice centering.. edges, surface no blemishes on front and back. Maybe a tiny speck of orange missing on a back corner.. my point is I’ve seen 9’s not as nice. I owned an 8.5 I consigned with probstein. That wasn’t as nice, not even close.. ok that’s all I got .. 
))
The day I stopped caring about card grades was when I cracked a PSA 8 and it came back a PSA 10.
It was that day some 25 years ago when I decided to only care about autograph card collecting and not the set registry.
If PSA makes a huge grading blunder I will pay to resubmit, but I usually accept what they send back.
The guys who nit pick over a 9 should be a 10 and an 8 should be an 8.5 are at the mercy of the grader. Sometimes you get Darth Grader and sometimes you get the second grader.
Sometimes you lose……………
And sometimes you win…….
This was graded a PSA 7 about 10 years ago lol. It’s an 8 all day long and perhaps a 9.
I got Darth Grader 10 years ago and someone more reasonable last year.
Keep resubmitting that Hull.
The Reggie is so beautiful that I would have to crack it out and get it signed!
Super nice Reggie Mondelo. Better than my 8.5. I’ve always liked the darker purple ones best.
Dont pay any attention to the negative comments. I’ve seen 1000 Reggie’s and no one would complain if that was in a 9 holder